UML POSITION BRINGING MADESHBADI PARTIES CLOSE TO MAOISTS

Kathmandu, 10 Sept.: Defence Minister and Vice-chairperson in UML Bidya Bhandari said Friday UML’s neutral position in voting for prime minister is bringing Madeshbadi parties and Maoists closer.
The widow of Madan Bhandari, general secretary of the party who died in a vehicular accident, has been urging a change in party position and to vote for NC candidate Ram Chandra Paudel.
“Because of UML, Madeshbadi parties are coming closer with Maoists,” she told a public meeting in Kaski Friday.
Maoists can form a government with simple majority with support of four Madesh parties.
Maoist Chairman Prachanda is pining hopes on such a possibility in next round of elections 26 September.
Maoist opponents in UML are demanding a central committee meeting to change establishment decision to stay neutral and vote for NC.
Bhandari is popular in the army for her firm support for the state army and is an ally of influential politburo member KP Sharma Oli who also supports NC.
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INDIAN AMBASSADOR SOOD HOLD DISCUSSIONS WITH SUSHIL KOIRALA

Kathmandu, 10 Sept.: Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood Friday held hour-long discussions NC Acting President Sushil Koirala Friday.
They discussed UNMIN future, the Mahara tape episode and even the delay in electing a successor of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, media reports said.
Sood and Koirala discussed the Maoist Mahara audio tape case even as a senior diplomat based at the Indian embassy threatened a Maoist legislator not to vote for Prachanda is election for prime minister.
The legislator, who later resigned from Maoists, defected to the main opposition from the terai party TMLP.
Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara had asked for Rs 500 million from an unidentified Chinese to buy votes in parliament for Prachanda.
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300 containers held upon Arniko highway

Kathmandu, 10 Sept.: Nearly 300 containers with Chinese imports worth Rs 3 million have held up on the Arniko Highway for one week because no lack of efforts to remove roadblocks triggered by landslides on the road link between Nepal and Tibet, traders said.
Landslides triggered by monsoon have prevented the movement of vehicles.
Perishable items like apples have been destroyed.
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